Towel apparatus and method of laundering the same



' Nov. 5, 1935. J N BQRRQUGHS 2,020,170

TOWEL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF LAUNDERING THE SAME Filed July 25, 1953 INVENTOR. m W 172%- BY 0 1 w 7 ATTORNEY" Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOWEL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF LAUNDERING THE SAME 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in laundry supply apparatus and in the method of laundering the towels.

One of the objects of my invention is the 6 provision of apparatus of simple construction for furnishing individual fabric towels to the user whereby they may be maintained in public places in orderly and sightly condition, are safeguarded from loss by theft, and are available for 10 use by the public with the utmost convenience.

' A further object of the invention is to provide as a unitary assemblage a plurality of towels threaded together with relative permanence upon a pair of endless cords so arranged that they may be readily supplied and secured in the public dispensing fixture as soon as the clean towels are exhausted, and the used towel assemblage may be removed for laundering.

A still further object of this invention is the Q method of laundering towels permanently connected together by flexible integuments whereby the operation of washing, drying and ironing of the towels are reduced to a minimum of operations and expense in labor and time.

25 The invention, therefore, consists in the provision of a towel assembly composed of a plurality of individual-use towels strung upon flexible endless cords, adapted and arranged to be mounted, used and laundered as an operative 30 unit, the apparatus for mounting the same to be conveniently and safely offered for public use, and in the method of preparing the used towels for renewed use through novel laundering operations.

35 The accompanying drawing illustrates by way of example a representativeform of towel assemblage, apparatus for utilizing the same, and typical views illustrative of the manner in which the towel assemblage is reconditioned for use.

Said drawing includes the following views:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a retaining rack and a towel assemblage of my invention mounted thereon in operative condition.

Figure 2 is a View in front elevation of the 45 same.

Figure 3 is a detached View in plan of one of the towels.

Figure 4 is a pictorial view of the towel device mounted upon a suitable frame for drying as contemplated in my improved method.

Referring to said views, the reference numeral l indicates a fabric towel for individual use employed in my invention consisting of a rectangular measure of towelling material provided with 55 apertures 2 adjacent the corners upon one of its sides which may be protected from abrasion by usual buttonhole whipping, or, as shown, by metal grommets 3. A plurality of such towels are strung in parallel upon a pair of endless cords 4 of equal length, the cords being spliced, as at 5 5, to maintain a substantially uniform thickness throughout their lengths. When formed in such manner a towel assemblage is provided that may be treated as a unit in all of its phases of use and remains in such condition until wear and long usage causes it to be discarded or repaired.

A rack for mounting the towel-assemblage is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, consisting of a back 6 to be secured to a wall I or other upright, and horizontal base 8 rectangularly connected l5 thereto and forming a shelf for the support of a pile 9 of clean towels of the assemblage as heretofore described. Inclined braces I0 may be provided to form a rigid rack-structure. The forward edge of the rack is provided with a pair of recesses or slots ll coresponding in position to the cords 4 into which the cords are received asthey extend through the pile of towels.

Rigidly attached to the forward edge of the base 8 are a plurality of upright slats l2 spaced 2 apart to serve as a guard for the proper retention and alignment of the towels on the rack. At their upper ends said slats are curved outwardly as at l3. A locking bar 14 is pivoted at 15 at the upper extremity of one of the outermost slats and is provided at its opposite end with an aperture in register with an aperture I6 in the upper extremity of the outermost slat upon the opposite side of the rack whereby a lock I! may be utilized to retain the bar across the top of said slats. The bar is shown as of concavo-convex configuration in cross-section to conform to the outerward curvature I3 of the slat-tops.

Operatively, the fresh towels of one of my improved towel-assemblages is piled upon the rackbase 8 with the cords 4 extending through the respective slots l I. The cords at their loops above the towel pile are passed over the bar I4 which maybe locked in horizontal position, as seen in the views, extending through the cord-loops. From below the slots II and from the bar M the cords depend in a loose loop I 8. In this condition the towels are ready for use and are safe guarded from displacement or theft other than by destructive violence to the cords or towels. The user may readily reach the topmost towel of the pile and drawing it along the cords forwardly and downwardly to a convenient position along the dependent loop l8 when it may be used with Qfliciency and convenience. Upon completing his use of the towel it is allowed to drop and slide along the cords to the bottom of the loop I8 where the used towels are allowed to accumulate, as seen at I9, until the pile of towels are exhausted.

The towel assemblage is then removed by unlocking the bar l4 and a replacement is made.

The towel-assemblage in soiled condition may then be washed inthe usualmanner without disassembling. It is run through the washing, rinsing and wringing operations as the need or desire therefore may demand. Upon being taken from this centrifugal wringer thecordsare engaged about a frame, preferably to describea rectangle having longer sides extending horizontally. In Figure 4 is seen such a frame suitable for .the purpose consisting in four pegs 22 extending .horizontally as from a wall. The cords are stretched about the pegs and the towels are divided in substantially equal numbers between the two horizontal stretches 20 and ill of the cords and hang dependently in straight lines and then dry in relatively smooth condition and need no subsequent ironing to fit for use.

A marked economy is shown inthe use of my improved apparatus andmethod both in the care and longevity of the materials used and in the reduction of steps and the speeding up of the washing operations.

Having described my invention, what I claim 1s:-

1. A towel unit comprising a group of towels having holes therein, and an endless flexible cord extended through the holes of all of the towels in such manner as to permanently connect them in a unitary group, all portions of said cord being of a diameter to slide freely through the holes, whereby the towels are free for limited separation,

,said towels and said cord being so constructed and arranged that the unitary .assembly is maintained during laundering vandhandling under all conditions.

2. A towel unit comprising a group of towels having holes therein, and a flexible cord extended through all of the holes of said towels, said cord having a spliced portion connecting the ends thereof in such manner as to permanently connect all of the towels of the group, said cord, in-

cluding the spliced portion thereof being of a 5 tions.

3. A towel unit comprising a group of towels each having two spaced apart holes contiguous to one end thereof, means for reinforcing said holes, a pair of flexible cords of equal length 1; passed through the respective holes of all of the towels, each cord being connected at its ends in such manner as "to provide an endless flexible member-constructed and arranged to permanently connect all of the towels of the group in a unitary g0 assembly, said cords and the connected ends thereof being of such diameter as to freely slide through said holes, whereby the towels of the group are free for limited separation, said towels and said cords being so constructed and arranged that the gp unitary assembly is permanently maintained during laundering and handling under all conditions.

4. The method of laundering towels in the form of a plurality of individual towels mounted on spaced endless flexible members to 'form a unitygn consisting of washing and wringing sai-d towels as a unit, horizontally stretching and supporting said members and spacing the individual towels thereon so that-each towel may dry in a separated dependent position and therebyrema'in relatively smooth.

5. The-method of laundering towels consisting of connecting for appreciable relative sliding movement, a group o'f towels'in a permanent unitary assembly, :and washing, wringing and drying 0 said towels while maintained in said permanent unitary assembly.

JOSEPH N.J3ORROUGHS. 

